Neville Brothers Cook Up Tasty Mix Of Tunes

Chicken gumbo was on the cabaret menu Friday night at the Jorgensen Auditorium in Storrs, but it couldn't have been as tasty as the Neville Brothers' brand of New Orleans funk.

And although the Nevilles' mammoth drum set and array of guitar and keyboard rigs initially seemed at odds with the somewhat frosty- haired audience, the band provided a little something for everyone, old or young.

FOR THE RECORD - Correction published November 14, 1998.* Shane Theriot plays guitar for the Neville Brothers. The guitarist's name was incorrect in a review on Page A4 of Saturday's Courant.

With a few exceptions, the Neville Brothers' songs didn't seem to begin or end as much as to ebb and flow on the tide of one big fat groove. With Charles Neville on saxophone, Art Neville on keyboards, Cyril Neville on percussion, Aaron Neville on lead vocals, and an incredibly tight band behind them, the brothers moved through a spicy variety of original and cover tunes.

One of the exceptions to the groove was ``Don't Know Much,'' the Aaron Neville vocal showcase. Even without Linda Ronstadt, the song packed a powerful emotional punch that was partially spoiled by guitarist Eric Struthers' completely out-of-place solo.

It didn't take long for Struthers to redeem himself by laying down some bluesy leads on ``She's a Lady'' and some tastefully funky wah-wah work on an extended sax jam.

The brothers also performed a few other better-known songs, like ``Crazy Love'' and ``All Over This Land.''

But the band's very first song, a cover of Sonny Landreth's ``Congo Square,'' showed which musicians were running the show by establishing the virtuousity of the rhythm section -- the busy basslines of Nick Daniels and the monstrous technical ability of Willie Green on drums.

Not only did the band play well, they danced well too. During an extended jam song about going to New Orleans, backup singer Earl Smith appeared at the front of the stage with a gaudy parasol before dancing up a storm with Cyril Neville, who left a young performer, no older than 9, to capably tackle the percussion duties.

Despite the party atmosphere on stage, the crowd stuck to their seats like they'd been glued there, though they responded enthusiastically to the songs and solos, and some audience members gave the band a standing ovation at the end of the set.

For the encore, the Nevilles went a capella with ``Amazing Grace'' before treating the crowd to some reggae, Bob Marley-style.